“Love Thy Neighbour” now controversial as the attacks on Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde expose just how far we’ve fallen.
Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde of the Episcopalian Church has recently become the latest target of online outrage, and the reason is as confounding as it is appalling: she dared to call for less cruelty and more compassion. During a sermon at the National Prayer Service, Budde made a plea for empathy toward marginalised communities, particularly LGBTQ+ individuals and immigrants. It wasn’t inflammatory or political. It was a call for mercy—something you might expect from a religious leader. Yet the backlash has been relentless, with critics framing her as a “radical” or accusing her of politicising faith. Former President Donald Trump himself weighed in, labelling her “nasty,” and social media followed with predictable vitriol.
Let’s not sugar-coat it: this response is disgusting. What does it say about society when a plea for basic human decency becomes a flashpoint for outrage? Budde’s sermon wasn’t a demand for revolutionary upheaval. It was a reminder that compassion, kindness, and mercy in all contexts are moral imperatives. That this could provoke such fury reveals an unsettling truth about the times we live in. We’ve become a culture so steeped in division and dehumanisation that the mere suggestion of treating vulnerable people with dignity is seen as radical.
For LGBTQ+ individuals, Budde’s message carries particular weight. In a world where queer and trans people are so often targeted—whether by discriminatory policies, hostile rhetoric, or outright violence—a call for mercy feels like a lifeline. It’s a reminder that we are seen, that our humanity matters, and that faith, for all its weaponisation against us, can still be a force for good. Budde’s words resonate deeply with queer people of faith, many of whom have struggled to reconcile their identities with a religious landscape often dominated by exclusion and condemnation. Her willingness to advocate for our dignity challenges the notion that faith and queerness are incompatible. Instead, she embodies a vision of spirituality that uplifts rather than ostracises.
The real scandal isn’t Budde’s call for compassion—it’s the fact that such a call is even necessary.
The backlash against Budde isn’t just an attack on her as an individual; it’s a reflection of a broader cultural sickness. We live in a time when cruelty has become normalised, even valorised. Policies that harm the most vulnerable are framed as tough but necessary, while empathy is dismissed as naïve or, worse, weak. This isn’t just morally bankrupt—it’s dangerous. When compassion is rejected, it paves the way for greater dehumanisation. It sends a message that suffering is acceptable as long as it doesn’t inconvenience those in power.
Budde’s critics may claim she’s injecting politics into the pulpit, but that argument doesn’t hold water. Her sermon wasn’t about politics; it was about principles. The values she champions—justice, love, and mercy—are the same ones her detractors claim to uphold. Their outrage isn’t rooted in her message but in the challenge it poses to their worldview. By asking them to care about others, she disrupts the comfortable narrative that justifies their apathy. And that, more than anything, is what they cannot tolerate.
The irony, of course, is that Budde’s message isn’t radical at all. It’s as old as the faith she represents. “Love thy neighbour” isn’t and shouldn’t be a controversial slogan; it’s the foundation of countless spiritual traditions. What’s truly radical is the idea that we can ignore suffering, that we can turn a blind eye to the humanity of others and still call ourselves moral. The real scandal isn’t Budde’s call for compassion—it’s the fact that such a call is even necessary.
Bishop Budde’s courage in the face of this backlash is a powerful reminder of what leadership looks like. She could have stayed silent, avoided controversy, and taken the safer path. Instead, she chose to speak truth to power, knowing full well the consequences. Her actions challenge all of us to do the same. Compassion isn’t just a moral ideal; it’s an act of resistance in a world that too often glorifies cruelty.
So, let’s be clear: the attacks on Budde are grotesque, but they reveal a deeper truth about the people levelling them. If you’re offended by someone asking for less suffering in the world, maybe the problem isn’t them—it’s you.
Budde’s message is a call to action for all of us. It’s a reminder that humanity is not negotiable, that mercy is not weakness, and that love, even in the face of hatred, remains the most radical force of all. – TML